Butler forward Roosevelt Jones will miss the season after tearing ligaments in his left wrist. / Michael Conroy, AP

by Zak Keefer, USA TODAY Sports

by Zak Keefer, USA TODAY Sports

The Butler basketball team's first season in the Big East got a whole lot tougher Friday.

The team learned that Roosevelt Jones, its top returning scorer and rebounder, will miss the entire 2013-14 season. The junior forward tore ligaments in his left wrist on a hard fall 4 minutes into the Bulldogs' first game in Australia on Aug. 6.

According to Butler coach Brandon Miller, Jones went up for a shot, then as he came down he put his left wrist down to stop the fall.

He left the game and did not play for the remainder of the trip. After returning to Indianapolis, Jones had the wrist re-examined and it was determined he would have to undergo surgery. He will redshirt this season and have two years of eligibility remaining when he returns in 2014-15.

"It hurt me for him to have to hear that," Miller said Friday. "It's just one of those things you can't control. He was having great practices before we left, and was in terrific shape."

Jones' absence will be another challenge facing Miller, who is entering his first year as a head coach. On top of replacing the highly successful Brad Stevens, who left for the Boston Celtics on July 3, Miller will guide the Bulldogs into their first season in the Big East without his best two-way player.

"I feel for him," Miller said of Jones. "He's worked extremely hard to put himself in the position he's at. Obviously, when you lose your top returning scorer and rebounder, it hurts. A lot of the things he does don't show up in the stat sheet. He's just a winner."

Jones was the only Butler player to start all 36 games last year, averaging 10.1 points and 5.6 rebounds. He also led the team in assists, with 3.5 per game.

Miller described Jones as shocked and disappointed Friday. No date has been set for surgery.

"God works in mysterious ways," Jones posted on his Twitter account. "Thank you everybody for your prayers. It is really appreciated. But I'm not counting out our team to still do big things this year."

In a release from the school, Butler athletic trainer Ryan Galloy said of Jones: "His prognosis is good and he's expected to make a full recovery for next season."

Even though he'll be forced to watch from the sideline this season, Miller said he expects Jones to be the same type of leader he would have been on the court.

"He's going to continue to lead from the spot he's at," Miller said. "Roosevelt is a tough-minded, determined young man, and I am confident he will return from this adversity an even better player and person."

Jones provided the second of two memorable game-winners during Butler's 27-9 season in 2012-13. With 3.5 seconds left against Gonzaga at Hinkle Fieldhouse, Jones stole an inbounds pass, dribbled the length of the court and sank an off-balance runner that delivered a 64-63 win.

His teammates will resume conditioning and weight room workouts the first week of September.